Report: Brock Bowers absent from Raiders voluntary workouts while finishing Georgia degree

As the Las Vegas Raiders go through voluntary workouts, Brock Bowers is noticeably absent. However, there’s a good reason.

Bowers is back at Georgia finishing his college degree, the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vinny Bonsignore reported. He declared for the NFL Draft after his junior year at UGA, but continued his coursework and will complete his degree this month.

Bowers was majoring in finance at Georgia while starring for the Bulldogs’ football team, according to his university bio. UGA’s spring undergraduate ceremony is scheduled for May 9.

Bowers is coming off an impressive rookie season in Las Vegas, emerging as the focal point of an offense that struggled to find continuity at quarterback. He finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting as he totaled 112 receptions for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns. He also played in the Pro Bowl and was a first team AP All-Pro.

The Raiders selected Bowers with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft after a decorate career in Athens. With Georgia, he made history as the first two-time Mackey Award winner as the nation’s best tight end. He ended his three-year career with 2,538 yards and 26 touchdowns, though his junior season was cut short due to injury.

Bowers was also a key part of the Bulldogs’ back-to-back national championship teams. His biggest year was in 2022 as a sophomore when he had 63 receptions for 943 yards and seven touchdowns while taking nine carries for 109 yards and three yards in the ground. As a freshman in 2021, he set a career-high with 13 touchdowns.

Now, Brock Bowers will get ready for his second NFL season – and the offense is going to transform around him. Geno Smith is now in Las Vegas after coming over in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks, and Chip Kelly is the new offensive coordinator under first-year coach Pete Carroll.

The Raiders also added one of the draft’s top playmakers with the No. 6 overall pick. They selected former Boise State star Ashton Jeanty, who finished as the runner-up in the Heisman Trophy voting to two-way star Travis Hunter. Jeanty was widely considered the top running back in a loaded class at the position after totaling 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns while leading Boise State to the College Football Playoff.